The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

The author of the ebullient Tommy at the Grocery Store (1989) brings his clever versifying to another nonsense saga. In little Ed's dreamlike adventure, everything goes by opposites: horses ride cowboys, children teach teachers, etc., ``...because/That's the way/We've always done it/In the past.'' When it rains animals until they crowd every space, the past offers no solutions; so hero Ed, proclaiming ``I always use my head./And I seldom give a hoot/About the past,'' suggests ``when in a pickle,/It is often wise to tickle...''--a lame conclusion to a narrative that's sometimes deliciously silly, but whose bantering tone sits uneasily with its dark subtext. The worst mismatch, however, is with the illustrations. Wint debuts with elegant faux-naãf figures on a black ground--handsomely decorative and with real ``stage presence''--but simply not very funny. There's plenty of talent here, but it's oddly misdirected. (Picture book. 4-8)

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.